9 to 5
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Happy with Career Path?
I've been out of college for 5 years this May. I am now on my second job in my "field," however, I can't help but think I have taken the wrong career path. I wake up each morning dreading work and I drag through the day watching the clock tick the longest 9 hours ever. I know work is work and not all work is fun, but I would think that if I was in the right profession (I am a graphic designer) I would at least enjoy it sometimes. Does everyone love their job but feel the same way I do? If not, what steps did you take to find your new career path?
Any advice would be welcomed!
christinec
Re: Happy with Career Path?
did you feel this way at your last job? if you hated both jobs in your field, it would seem to me that your field may not really be "your" field. just because you're good at something doesn't mean you should have to do it for a living...does that make sense?
i love my job, and i can't imagine doing anything else. i often tell my students that they should figure out what they love to do, then find someone to pay them to do it. i also tell them that the message they sometimes get from pop media--that a job is 9-5 drudgery--doesn't have to be true, and that i am a prime example of that, because i love coming to work every day. i realize the economy is bad right now, but if you're miserable, by all means, find some way to do something else. life's too short to spend that many hours over the course of so many days, weeks, months and years bored and unhappy.
There are many aspects I hate about my job, but I do not hate them as much as I would hate things about other jobs. For example, I hate that my students don't just want to learn or that I can't take vacation during off peak season, but I would hate even more being bored for 9 hours a day or not getting home till 6. I look into other professions, and I'll continue looking, but I'm also not willing to give up the perks of being home by 3 and off 2 months, to enjoy working 9 hours a day. Although, if I didn't have a baby and wasn't planning a family, I'd might prefer love my job no matter what my hours were.
Basically I think you need to weight the pros and cons. If you really feel you have no pros, you need to look else where, although once you have a mortgage and family (not sure if you do) that gets alot harder to do.
Our little Irish rose came to us on March 5, 2010
Don't drink the water.
Disclaimer: I am not an MD. Please don't PM me with pregnancy-related questions. Ask your doctor.
I concur on all counts. I could be happy doing MANY things, and be very good at all of them. But I've changed careers so many times, I just don't want to anymore. Luckily, I love what I do now more than anything I've ever done.
I love my work so much, I could do it all day for no money at all and be completely fulfilled and ridiculously happy. But, I need to pay the bills. I often get so wrapped up in my work that I lose all track of time, and frequently have to FORCE myself to stop working and go to bed. Sometimes I wish I could squeeze more daylight out of my days.
I'm sure it's rare, but THAT is what you want to feel like.
I'm a lurker and had to post on this.
I went through this less than 6 months ago. My last job was great when I took it and by the time they laid me off due to outsourcing, I was in counselling for anxiety and panic attacks. If your job is affecting your health, move. It's not worth it.
Out of university for 5 years this May as well. I was a programmer first and got laid off from that job last August b/c of budget. Now I'm in a new role in IT as a project analyst.
I don't hate my job, I don't love my job. It's a job. I go to work, I watch the clock, I come home. Not happy, not unhappy.
I feel like I'm in the wrong field even though it was the right one when I started. I think a lot of people go through that. the trick is finding the next "right" field and taking that jump. I haven't done the jump yet, but considering it. Just not sure where to jump to.
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I did feel this way at my last job. I thought it was because I was in the city and I was commuting an hour and a half each way to work in addition to getting used to being a wife and having a real home to take care of now. I moved to a job now 30 minutes from my house and I still feel the same. What you say about "jut because your good at something doesn't mean you should have to do it for a living" makes 100% sense. I realize that. I guess I'm just trying to figure out the next steps to find something different that I can learn to be good at and enjoy rather than doing something I have talent for but don't like! Thanks so much for your insight. It's good to hear other people's stories.
The tricky part is finding that thing that makes you happy. I've had a lot of people tell me "Do what makes you happy and the money will come" As true as that may be for some it's hard to start over in something new when you still need to clothe, feed and shelter yourself.
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I could not agree with you more. My first job was giving me anxiety and I was getting sick over it! Another reason why I left.
You sound just like me. It's not that I hate my job, its more that I don't love it. Its a job. Nothing else. I guess its more that I get jealous when people rave about their jobs and how much they love it. I wish I could boast like that. I guess its just hard to enjoy other aspects of of your life when you are spending most of your life in a job that if just meh.
I have begun to rethink the next jump. DH was laid off in Nov. and has recently got a new job. I want him to get settled before I go jumping around as we need to have some sort of stable income. As you said in your most recent post, it's hard to jump when you have a mortgage, and bills to pay. Being a "grown-up" is hard. haha. I will take your advice and find something I love and know that eventually, money will follow.
I wish you luck with your jump as well. Thanks for your stories.
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